The average distance between the surface of the Earth and the surface of the Sun is `1.49xx10^(11)` m. How much time in minutes does it take for light leaving the surface of the Sun to reach the Earth ?

Options

A. zero minutes
B. 8.3 min
C. 500 min
D. 74 min

Answer

To solve the problem of how much time it takes for light to travel from the Sun to the Earth, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Identify the Given Values**:
- Distance from the Sun to the Earth, \( d = 1.49 \times 10^{11} \) meters.
- Speed of light, \( c = 3 \times 10^{8} \) meters per second.

2. **Use the Formula for Time**:
- The time taken for light to travel a distance is given by the formula:
\[ \text{Time} = \frac{\text{Distance}}{\text{Speed}} \]
- Substituting the values we have:
\[ \text{Time} = \frac{1.49 \times 10^{11} \text{ m}}{3 \times 10^{8} \text{ m/s}} \]

3. **Calculate the Time in Seconds**:
- Performing the division:
\[ \text{Time} = \frac{1.49}{3} \times 10^{11 - 8} = \frac{1.49}{3} \times 10^{3} \]
- Calculate \( \frac{1.49}{3} \):
\[ \frac{1.49}{3} \approx 0.4967 \]
- Thus, the time in seconds is:
\[ \text{Time} \approx 0.4967 \times 10^{3} \text{ seconds} \approx 496.7 \text{ seconds} \]

4. **Convert Seconds to Minutes**:
- To convert seconds to minutes, divide by 60:
\[ \text{Time in minutes} = \frac{496.7}{60} \approx 8.278 \text{ minutes} \]

5. **Final Answer**:
- Rounding off, we can say that the time it takes for light to travel from the Sun to the Earth is approximately:
\[ \text{Time} \approx 8.28 \text{ minutes} \text{ or } 8 \text{ minutes and } 17 \text{ seconds} \]